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Conceptual art by SCAD students from both Savanna and Atlanta at MINT Gallery. This Saturday, May 24th 6:30-9.

Rod Whighm's Zombie Romance

New Art Places in Atlanta

More and more artists are coming together and opening up new spots around Atlanta. Two brand new spaces are on the verge of opening up this month.

First is Wonderroot, a non-profit group that encourages artists and musicians to engage their communities through programs and whathaveyou. They've recently opened the doors of their community art center on Memorial Drive in Reynoldstown. A darkroom, digital media lab, recording studio, and small performance space will be available to local artists for a small membership fee or in exchange for community service projects. You can read more about Wonderroot at their well constructed website or their recording studio's blog. Also, Click Clique has posted pictures of the community center on their blog as well. Wonderroot's Grand opening party is Saturday, May 31st.

The second spot opening up is right down the street from Youngblood's new location in what is becoming a really great stretch of N. Highland Ave (The Plaza Theater, San Francisco Coffee, Youngblood Gallery and Boutique, Videodrome). It's called Vacation and its going to be a gallery/boutique/performance space run by a group with strong local music ties. Vacation is supposed to open up this month, but there is no word on the specifics of what and when. Maybe their blog will tip us off when the time is right.

Weekly Street Art: Stickers

Here are a few of my favorite stickers that I've come across around town: Urban Mediums R2D2 w/boombox, a little guy by John Pundt, and the new Noot d' Noot sticker by BORN.

Body/Text Project at Composition Gallery

Clothe Yourself

Direct from MINT headquarters: "On Saturday, May 17th, MINT hosts a one night event, "ATL T-Shirt Show Off" featuring the designs of emerging local fashion artists and designers. This exhibit will also feature t-shirt printing from Atlanta's premiere screen printers, Danger Press, as well as refreshments and music. Pick out your favorite design or tee and don't be afraid to wear it home that evening."

Zarkeys Zine Release at Beep Beep Gallery

This Saturday Friday at Beep Beep Gallery is your second chance to check out the bizarre drawing explosions of Zarlacc and Harrison Keys that currently adorn the walls. They are releasing a zine of similar collaborative doodles and bands will perform. Check out photos of the show here, and below is a video of the opening. Em!, who currently interns at Beep Beep, has made a couple of videos for them now. While this video is a bit long for its purpose and could use a little tightening up, it is quite an improvement over her first effort and projects an accurate feel for the opening as well as the art.

Curators, Critics, and Monsters

My recent, unfortunately negative stab at the wealth of monster shows coming up sparked a really great conversation on the curator's role in creating shows. A lot of the local art bloggers that I read chimed in. Ben Grad of Proclaim it Lost, Jeremy of Ghostmap Microwave, Jonathan of Local Ephemera, and Cinque from Bare and Bitter Sleep all put in their two cents.

If you are interested in the result you can read the comments here.

This Friday 5/9/08

Persona Non Gratta at the Eyedrum: It's a night of experimental music and in between the acts we'll be showing animation curated by Brett W. Thompson, happiest person in Atlanta.

Bellury/Forrester at Kavarna.

Dear Atlanta, WTF?

How many monster themed art shows are really necessary in a given season? (It's not even Halloween) If you are not offended by the prospects of endless exhibitions of random artists depicting monsters, then feel free to click any of the following links:
Monster Mayhem at East Atlanta Tatoo
The Monster Show at Eyedrum
Murky Depths at MINT Gallery this Saturday, May 10th with music from Swamp Ape

500 Songs for Kids

500 Songs for Kids is going on right now at Smith's Olde Bar and will continue on until Saturday night. If you don't know about the project it's "500 Different Artists Performing The 500 Greatest Sing-A-Long Songs Of All Time!" and proceeds go kids charities. More info here. Some of my local favorites will are performing, including The Coathangers and Attractive Eighties Women.